PENTATONE has from the start around the turn of the century been dedicated to high-res releases in multi-channel, and they have a formidable back-catalog in multi-channel SACD. High-res in multi channel has been an important pillar for PENTATONE, and therefore it should not be surprising that when they now launch a webshop for their own productions, then the releases are also offered in high-resolution multi-channel.
Monday, 17 March 2014 17:29
PENTATONE open download webshop with multichannel DSD
Written by Karl Erik SyltheThe Dutch label PENTATONE today opens a webshop. Where you get the opportunity that only very few other label offers.
PENTATONE operates with three different quality groups in their webshop:
- High Quality, that are wav files into CD-quality 16bits/44, 1kHz. Typical price for single (SA) CD's 15.50 Euro
- Premium Quality, flac files in stereo or multi-channel solution 24bits/96kHz. Typical price is 21.50 Euro for stereo and 22.50 euro for 5.1.
- Master Quality, DSD file with tracks in both stereo and 5.1. Typical price is 26.50 Euro for a file in Master Quality.
Membership in PENTATONE club qualify for 20% discount on these prices.
There have been very few record companies that offer download files in DSD, and even fewer in multi channel. In stereo DSD we get the impression that there is a market for streaming that is now beginning to really take off, including a very fast growing number of DSD compatible external DACs on the market.
Sales of high-resolution multichannel files for download / streaming has been even more rare commodity, and part of the reason for this has probably been very limited access to hardware that supports high-definition streaming in multi channel. Oppo have been pioneers in supporting the M/Ch streaming from their Blu-ray players the last couple of generations.
In connection with a major focus on our section about high-res with various databases on our website here at Audiophile.no, we have undertaken a research and come up with these record companies that offer DSD files and high-res surround for download. And although it for sure are companies we have overlooked, it still remains that there is a very limited selection we have found so far:
DSD stereo
- 2L
- 2xHD
- ALIUD
- Channel Classics Records
- Columbia
- Legacy
- Premonition Records
Hires multichannel
PCM / Flac
- 2L
DSD / DXD
- 2L
As of today is thus also PENTATONE to find in all these categories, and we want this label welcomed into these ranks.
We will otherwise take the opportunity to mention that we are working on a portrait interview with PENTATONE by one of the founders of the label, and expect to make an elaboration of this strategy in this interview. Stay tuned!
PENTATONE have made an instructive video posted on Youtube, which explains the different formats that you can download. It explains the differences and also the hardware requirements for each of them.
Karl Erik Sylthe
Redaktør i Audiophile.no
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